The demon and the angel
by duskisdawn
Summary: Hermione discovers Malfoy's shocking secret. He has suffered years of abuse from his family as they have been ruthlessly training him to become a Death Eater. And now with Voldemort back, he is about to be selected for a task, one that could destroy him forever. Can Hermione help Malfoy fight the darkness inside of him - or will he lose himself in it forever. #Dramione.


**Hello all. So this is my first Harry Potter fanfic. I totally ship Dramoine, don't hate me Ron lovers. This is set near the end of fifth year. **

Chapter 1 - Curiosity

Hermione sighed with frustration as she chewed her nail in deep thought. She couldn't get Ron off her mind. His face was like a ghost haunting her brain. He just…urgh. She thought. Why was life so complicated?

Hermione was referring to an incident that had occurred in the Common room last night. Ron had placed his arm around her shoulders, at first she thought nothing of it - she thought he was just being friendly with her. Everyone else had gone to bed. Harry was in detention. But then he kissed her temple. Not in a _friendly _way. He had actually made a _move_… and she wasn't ready. She loved Ron. Well she thought she had loved Ron. But right then it had seemed awkward. She remembered the chill that cloaked her body like a dark robe. She remembered the flush that had crept on his face, turning his freckled cheeks a ghastly shade of red.

"_Er, I'm sorry." Ron muttered, pulling away biting his lip._

_Hermione sat there in her usual chair by the fireplace. Her mouth open, like a codfish. For once Hermione Granger was lost for words. Numbness had spread to every part of her body._

"_I'm going to bed." Ron declared, muttering some incomprehensible excuse._

_Hermione finally snapped out of her reverie. "But, we have to wait for Harry, who knows what that ministry hag is doing to him." _

_Ron sighed. "I'll apologise to him tomorrow. I'm sorry 'Mione." Ron quickly scampered up to the boys' dormitory for Hermione had a chance to reply. Hermione glared after her friend. So much for sticking up for Harry. Ron could be such a…_

"'Mione."

Hermione was brought from her memories by none other than Ron himself. He was standing awkwardly in between the bookshelves by her favourite spot in the library. Ron smiled nervously at her. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Is Harry okay?" Ron blurted.

Hermione narrowed her eyes. Ron clearly wanted to avoid the obvious tension between them after what happened last night.

"Yes he's fine." Hermione answered curtly, "Well." She paused. "He says his fine but I know he's lying. Everyone is being really horrid to him, Ron."

Ron sighed, leaning against the bookshelf. "I know. That idiot Seamus was bang out of order. People are just too scared to accept the truth. All the evidence points towards the fact that You-Know-Who has returned. People are just too blind to see it."

Hermione raised her eyebrows. Surprised that her friend should be so passionate to defend Harry, considering the fact that last year he bailed out on him. I suppose he feels guilty for the way he treated him last year. She thought. Hermione sighed heavily. "Look, Ronald, I too am upset for the way everyone is treating Harry. But at least with the D.A. there is finally some good news, now if that is all you want to talk about, I have to finish this essay for Potions…"

"Hermione. I'm sorry." Ron muttered, a deep shade of scarlet clouding his cheeks. "Look, about last night, I don't know what came over me. I um… I…"

"Are you always this articulate?" Hermione smirked as Ron turned even redder.

"Do you want to go to Hogsmede with me this weekend." Ron blurted out, biting his lip anxiously. Hermione's eyes widened. Was he…?

"Er… maybe not then, I'll just." Ron's mumblings became nonsensical. Hermione's lip quivered. She didn't know. She knew her feelings for Ron were different than those for Harry, but she didn't want to hurt him…

"Okay." She said, surprising herself. Her heart did a backflip in astonishment. Her temples burned as blood rushed to her head. All thought and all logic seemed to fly out of the window…

Ron's eyes brightened considerably. Embarrassment gone, Hermione's acceptance seemed to strike a chord of confidence within his heart. Ron grinned like a fool and placed a soft kiss on Hermione's lips. Hermione was too stunned to reciprocate the kiss. Ron seemed oblivious to this and smiled his goofy grin. Hermione couldn't help but smile at Ron's ego.

"Well, well, well. If isn't the Weaslebee and Mudblood." A cool drawl echoed from behind the pair. Ron whirled round to come face to face with Malfoy and Zabini.

"Malfoy." Ron growled.

"Weasel." Malfoy tutted in disappointment as he eyed Hermione with disdain. "Fraternising with mudbloods, I thought you and your family could sink no lower."

Ron's face contorted with rage and all sense escaped his thought as he aimed a punch straight into Malfoy's noise. Malfoy screamed. All of the students in the library raised their heads to watch the fight unfold. Zabini punched Ron in return and Ron went berserk. Launching himself at Blaise whilst Malfoy tried to stop the blood flowing from his broken noise. Too angry to feel sorry for himself, the ferret joined the fray. Ron still managed to hold his own against the two. Hermione stared at the fight in horror, hands over her mouth, too stunned to do anything.

"Don't. Insult. My girlfriend!" Ron bellowed, pummelling Zabini in the ribs, but earning a sharp kick from Malfoy in the process. The library gasped and all heads turned to Hermione, who turned a light shade of pink. Although she was still conflicted about her feelings for Ron, she couldn't help but feel a surge of warmth within her. She actually had a boyfriend. The know-it-all nerd actually had a boyfriend.

Before the crowd of students swamped the fight, a large crack like thunder sounded throughout the library. The crowd parted as the angry voice as Umbridge's scowling face loomed into view. She waved her wand and before either of the boys could throw another punch, they were flung opposite ends of the library. Ron gagged as he collided into the wall, it felt as though he had been ripped from the floor by a fishing hook. He smiled weakly at Hermione, who rushed over to him.

"Ron, for Merlin's sake, what were you thinking, he's not worth it!"

Umbridge's annoying laugh stopped Ron from replying. "Weasley." Umbridge spat. "This was all your fault, Mister Malfoy is too diligent a student to know that fighting is unacceptable."

Hermione stifled a laugh whereas Ron glared at the bitch. "Malfoy called my girlfriend a mudblood."

The students around them gasped. Although the Slytherins jeered at Ron. Umbridge scowled at the Gryffindor. "Do not use such language, Mister Weasley. Detention for the next month."

Ron growled in frustration. Hermione clenched her fist in anger. Umbridge was _ridiculous_. "But Professor, he speaks the truth."

"Not another word Miss Granger, or you will join him. I'll ask Draco and Blaise to see whether your ridiculous comments are true. Mister Malfoy, Mister Zabini, did you call Miss Granger a… a mudblood?"

Malfoy smirked and shook his head. Blaise smiled innocently. "'Course not Professor." Malfoy said. "Weasley insulted us."

Ron cracked his knuckles in anger. Eyes narrowing he was about to protest but Hermione held him down. "Don't." She warned. "Don't, you'll get into more trouble."

Umbridge smiled, satisfied. "There." She said pleasantly. It made Hermione's stomach curl with revulsion. "Miss Granger will you kindly escort Mister Malfoy to the hospital wing, Blaise, notify Professor Snape about this incident, and Weasley come with me. Fifty points from Gryffindor."

"Of course, Professor." Blaise said, scrambling off the floor he grinned at Malfoy who scowled at the prospect of being taken to the Hospital Wing by Granger. Hermione too, eyed Umbridge in disdain.

"Professor, Malfoy is perfectly capable of…"

"Not another word Miss Granger, escort him to the Hospital Wing immediately and report back to me, Mister Weasley, come with me."

Ron sighed. "Guess we'll have to postpone that date." He whispered bitterly, so only Hermione could hear. Hermione giggled, all previous thoughts regarding Ron had disappeared. The way he had stood up for her had simply felt amazing. She smiled, kissing his cheek. Ron slowly got up from the floor, wincing as he did so. But too ecstatic to complain about Umbridge. Hermione had just kissed him.

"It can wait." Hermione said. Ron smiled, even though he was going to have to spend detention with Umbridge, and no doubt Harry as well, the thought of their date made Umbridge appear like an insignificant wart on his buttocks. She was nothing. Hermione was everything. Ron glared at Malfoy as he marched confidently to his torture, but he didn't care. Hermione had said 'yes'. Well, technically it was 'okay' but she had accepted him. They were officially going out. The whole school would soon know. But then a slight pit had formed in his stomach. How would Harry react? What will he say? Ron sighed. Why was life so damn complicated?

Hermione glared at Malfoy, who was still trying to stop the blood flow from his nose Ron and Umbridge had left and the crowd of students that had formed around the fight were slowly trickling away.

"You are pathetic." Hermione growled. "You are nothing but a spoilt brat who needs to improve his insults, mudblood is so second year, I'm over that now."

Malfoy rose to his feet, eyeing Hermione with disdain as the two made their way through the library doors and to the Hospital Wing. "Granger's finally grown a pair, about time too, I remember the first time I insulted you and you snivelled off to Potter like a worm."

"That's rich coming from a ferret who always snivels back to his father when things get tough. You're nothing without your daddy." Hermione snapped.

"At least my Father is a powerful wizard, unlike yours who is an insignificant muggle." Malfoy retorted.

"If Ron hadn't already broken your nose, I would have done it by now, like in third year." Hermione growled, the two were on the same corridor as the Hospital Wing now. Thank God, Hermione thought, Malfoy was killing her.

Malfoy clenched his teeth in anger, but said nothing to reply. Their footsteps echoed round the corridor. Hermione raised an eyebrow. Had she just won?

"What's up Malfoy, cat got your silver tongue?" Hermione said smugly. Malfoy snorted, avoiding looking at her directly in the eye. His grey ones seemed to stare at something in the distance.

"You're puerile insults are below me, Granger. I do not need to listen to them, so shut up." Malfoy said smoothly as the pair approached the Hospital Wing.

"Gladly." Hermione snapped, just as they had approached the Hospital Wing. Thank Merlin. Hermione thought. She glanced at Malfoy, relief was clear on his face, he obviously felt the same way.

"Miss Granger, Mister _Malfoy_!" Madame Pomfrey exclaimed, clearly shocked at seeing the two together.

"Oh no, Madame Pomfrey, Umbridge told me to accompany _Malfoy_ and report back. He and Ron got into a fist fight. Can I go now? I will bring Ron shortly once he's served detention with Umbridge." And after Malfoy's left the Hospital Wing to avoid any confrontation, Hermione thought.

Madame Pomfrey smiled knowingly. She knew of Malfoy's past bullying towards Granger and her friends. She nodded. "I am perfectly capable of taking care of a student. Mister Malfoy I want you to come inside and remove your robe to see if there is any bleeding elsewhere."

Malfoy began to protest, shouting at Madame Pomfrey that that was inappropriate. Hermione sniggered. The little bastard couldn't stand the humiliation of Pomfrey seeing him half-naked, even though she was a doctor and simply checking if he had any other bones broken or internal bleeding. Hermione paused, curiosity seeming to get the better of her. She peeked around the corner of the Hospital Wing, observing the scene unfolding before her. Luckily Malfoy had his back toward her, or he'd probably tease her endlessly, claiming that a mudblood fancied him. Hermione rolled her eyes, she simply wanted to enjoy bathing in his humiliation. For once, Malfoy was on the receiving end, even though it wasn't really humiliation, but it was to him.

Pomfrey waved her wand, and Malfoy's robes vanished. Hermione gasped. His back was littered with ragged scars, some shallow, some extremely deep. It was as though his back had been mutilated by a wolf, but the scars weren't made by an animal, the lines were too precise and too detailed for that… it was as though…

"Mister Malfoy, who did this to you?" Pomfrey's voice was filled with concern. Malfoy's normal arrogant demeanour had vanished, and for once in her life, all Hermione could see was a lost little boy. And for some reason, she felt pity, pity for the boy who had humiliated her since she joined Hogwarts. Pity for the boy who had _just _beaten up her boyfriend.

"I… I can't say…" Malfoy mumbled, fear evident in his tone. Pomfrey was lost for words, the Prince of Slytherin had been abused?

"Draco." Pomfrey said softly, "Please, this is for your own good."

Malfoy shook his head. "Whatever you do will make it worse, please, do not say a word, or I will tell Umbridge _you _were inappropriate with your behaviour towards me."

Hermione bit her lip. She had seen enough. Madame Pomfrey was obviously going to let this slide. The whole school knew that Malfoy had Umbridge wrapped around his little finger. Hermione walked quietly down the corridor, not wanting Malfoy to know that she had just witnessed his humiliation, or he would threaten her. So who had exactly done that to him? Who exactly was Malfoy? Was he just a scared little boy who was the Hogwarts bully to get attention? Hermione shook those thoughts from her head, why did she even care? This was the guy who abused her regularly. She should be thinking about her date with Ron. Wow. She was going on a date. Finally! Hermione grinned as she approached Umbridge's office, intending to wait for Ron until he finished his detention. But she still couldn't shake off the nerves that were attached to her heart like leaches. She couldn't explain the feeling of dread in her stomach at the thought of Ron being her boyfriend – even though she was happy at the same time. Doubt assailed on her mind like an invasion of tiny devils. She sighed. And she still couldn't stop thinking about Malfoy. Whether she liked it or not, her inquisitive self was intrigued by his case. And she knew that she would now stop at nothing to find out the truth.

**Reviews?**

**By the way I have important exams for the next few weeks, I may update but I can't promise anything unless I get reviews. After exams updates will probably be about every 2 weeks.**

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